May: I can’t comprehend the horror

THERESA May last night expressed her shock at the tragedy.

Promising a ‘ proper investigation’ into the blaze, she said: ‘My thoughts are with the victims, their families and all of those who had their homes destroyed.

‘It’s impossible to comprehend the horror of what they’ve been going through.

‘The response of people living nearby who have provided help, compassion and support has I think, once again, shown the fantastic spirit of London.

‘If there are any lessons to be learned they will be, and action will be taken.’

Her comments came as ministers faced accusations from Labour MPs that Government ‘penny-pinching’ on council funding was costing lives.

Mrs May made her TV appearance hours after putting out a statement about the fire via her press office. Until mid-evening, No 10 had said she was not going to say anything publicly.

It was decided that the Prime Minister should not go to the scene because doing so could get in the way of the rescue services. A source said she instead held the first meeting of the Government’s Brexit sub- committee since the election and had an audience with the Queen.

Mrs May was also unable to send a minister to make a statement in the Commons because of Parliamentary rules. MPs were yesterday going through the process of being sworn in, and Speaker John Bercow said this meant the Chamber could not be used. He said a minister could hold a meeting in a Commons committee room, but last night this had not happened.

Mr Bercow said: ‘It is not possible to treat that matter in the way we otherwise I am sure would wish to do in the Chamber today.’

Last night Jeremy Corbyn blamed austerity for the disaster at Grenfell Tower.

He said ‘searching questions’ need to be asked about what happened at the west London tower block, adding: ‘If you deny local authorities the funding they need, there is a price to pay that’s paid by the lack of safety facilities all over the country.’

Mr Corbyn told LBC Radio that calls for sprinklers to be installed in high-rises after a fatal fire at Lakanal House in south London in 2009 had not been heeded. He said: ‘[London MP] Harriet Harman ... raised all these issues after that fire and ... demanded that sprinklers should be fitted to all of these buildings. I suspect they have not been in many places.

‘There needs to be some very searching questions asked as quickly as possible in the aftermath of this fire.’

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s World At One, former cabinet minister Miss Harman said: ‘The Government has got to say “we have responsibility overall in public buildings to make sure of the safety of these tenants and we can’t penny-pinch where it will cost lives”.’